Method of increasing forward biased safe operating area using different threshold voltage segments

Abstract

A method for increasing a forward biased safe operating area of a device includes forming a gate; and forming a segmented source close to the gate, wherein the segmented source includes first segments associated with a first threshold voltage and second segments associated with a second threshold voltage different from the first threshold voltage, wherein at least one device characteristic associated with the first segments is different from the same device characteristic associated with the second segments.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device comprising:
 a gate; and 
 a segmented source proximate to the gate, wherein the segmented source comprises a plurality of first segments associated with a first threshold voltage and a plurality of second segments associated with a second threshold voltage different from the first threshold voltage, and wherein at least one device characteristic associated with the plurality of first segments is different from the at least one device characteristic associated with the plurality of second segments. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one device characteristic comprises source segment symmetry with respect to the gate. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one device characteristic comprises source segment doping density and/or channel doping density. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one device characteristic comprises a gate oxide thickness of the gate. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one device characteristic comprises a gate work function of the gate. 
     
     
       6. A device comprising:
 a gate; 
 a first source associated with a first threshold voltage proximate to the gate; and 
 a second source associated with a second threshold voltage different from the first threshold voltage proximate to the gate, 
 wherein at least one source characteristic associated with the first source is different from the at least one source characteristic associated with the second source. 
 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one device characteristic comprises source symmetry with respect to the gate. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one device characteristic comprises source doping density and/or channel doping density. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the device further comprises a third source having a third threshold voltage different from the first and second threshold voltages. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the device further comprises a fourth source having a fourth threshold voltage different from the first, second, and third threshold voltages.